This invention relates to an improvement in a corn-husking machine, and more particularly concerns an improved roll-holding device for the lower end of a husking bed of a corn-husking machine.
In the conventional type of corn-husking machine, there is provided a husking bed comprised of a series of parallel pairs of elongated cylindrical husking rolls having forwarding means positioned above the rolls for moving ears of corn axially along the rolls. The rolls are disposed longitudinally in respect to the direction of travel imparted to the corn by said forwarding means. The rolls are also usually inclined so that ears of corn move from an upper end to a lower end of the husking bed.
The husking rolls are provided in pairs wherein one roll, having a resilient surface, is pressed into parallel tangential abutment with a hard-surfaced roll which may be smooth or patterned. Both rolls are rotated in opposite directions such that the surfaces of the rolls, at their nip or contact line, frictionally engage the husk of corn and pull it away from the ear. The husk is pulled downwardly through the nip between the rolls and is deposited below the husking rolls. The husk-free ears of corn remain in the trough-like space between adjacent rolls and travel axially along the rolls and downwardly to a receiving area or processing unit.
The axles of the rolls, at the upper extremities thereof, extend through circular bearing means such as bushings or ball bearing braces in an upper supporting wall member disposed substantially normally to the rolls. Behind said wall, drive means in the form of gears, pulleys and the like, effect rotative motion of the rolls. An end plate is generally positioned substantially normally to the rolls at their downward extremities. The function of the end plate is generally two-fold, namely to provide properly spaced and aligned bearing means which support the downward extremities of the axles of the rolls, and to provide tensioning means which cause each pair of hard and soft surfaced rolls to be in tight abutment throughout their lengths.
In their normal traversal of the husking bed, the ears which have had their husks removed travel in the trough-like space between the rolls downwardly toward said end plate, and thence over said end plate and into a receiving area. On occasion, however, an ear of corn will get caught in an upright position normal to the rolls, a position wherein the ear has begun to pass between the rolls as in the mode of passage of the husks, but remains relatively stationary in said upright position. In the usual operation of husking beds of the prior art, the upright ear may eventually migrate downwardly along the rolls until it comes to resting abutment with the end plate. In said resting position, it prevents passage of subsequent ears along the trough-like space between the rolls. The occurrence of upright or jamming ears is more prevalent when the husking apparatus is used on freshly picked corn having a high moisture content.
When a jamming ear is encountered, motion of the husking bed must be stopped to permit the jamming ear to be cut or broken away. On occasion, the end plate must be removed to enable separation of the rolls which engage the jamming ear, thereby permitting its removal. Such operations are extremely time consuming, and thereby reduce the hourly productivity of the corn-husking equipment.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an improved husking bed wherein the occurrence of upright ears of corn will not require stoppage of operation of the husking bed.
It is a still further object of this invention to provide improved roll-holding means for the lowermost extremity of a husking bed, whereby upright ears are automatically discharged from said bed.
These objects and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description.